Ethan's Journey
by ComicfireSymphon
Summary: Ethan and his Pokemon team traverse the region of Johto and Kanto. Hooray for generic plots!
1. Chapter 1

Ethan woke up, like he did every morning. His alarm clock was playing Megadeth's "Trust" on the radio. He knew today was going to be good, Megadeth never played in Johto. He got out of bed and went to his PC. He checked his inbox, which had no mail, as usual. Placing his hat on his head, he walked downstairs to greet his mother.

"Ethan! Professor Elm has been looking for you! Oh, and your Pokegear is back from the shop!" His mother said, tossing the gear at him, which his deftly caught and placed around his waist. He walked out the day into the cold breeze of New Bark Town.

Chapter One: Ethan and Cyndaquil

Ethan walked over to Professor Rowan's lab, where he saw a boy with long red hair peeking in through the window. Ethan walked over to him.

"Hey man, what're you doing?" Ethan asked.

The boy stiffened and grabbed Ethan by the collar. "You better back off. Mind your own business!" He yelled, shoving Ethan away. Ethan fell hard onto the ground and quickly stood back up. He rushed at the boy and cocked back a punch. The boy simply ducked underneath it and punched Ethan in the stomach, knocking him down.

"I told you not to bother." The boy said, running into the forest. Ethan stood up again, walking towards Elm's door. He pushed it open and walked in. Professor Elm looked up from his research and smiled.

"Ethan! We've been expecting you!" Elm said happily. Elm's Aide looked up and gave Ethan a brisk nod before going back to his research. Ethan walked over to Elm.

"Alright Ethan, I called you for a reason. I have a friend who goes by Mr. Pokemon. He always tells me tall tales about new discoveries he makes. He called me again today, but he said this time it's real. I can't make the trip, so I'm sending you. There are three Pokemon here, a Chikorita, a Totodile and a Cyndaquil. Choose one so you can get going." Elm explained.

Ethan smiled and walked over to the Pokeballs. This is what he had dreamed of, his own Pokemon! So which did he want? The sweet grass type Chikorita? The playful water type Totodile? Or the timid fire type Cyndaquil? Ethan weighed his options. He probably would have to give the Pokemon back afterwards, so it didn't really matter which he chose. He picked up the Cyndaquil.

"I want this one." Ethan told Elm. Elm smiled and pressed the button on the Pokeball. The Cyndaquil emerged. Ethan's face broke into a wide grin, this was his first Pokemon!

Cyndaquil looked around with its tiny eyes. It yawned and a puff of black soot shot out from its back. It looked at the broadly-grinning Ethan. Cyndaquil toddled over to Ethan and curled up at his feet, falling asleep. Ethan laughed and Elm sighed.

"Ahh… so this Cyndaquil is only a baby. We probably shouldn't allow it outside then." Elm suggested. Cyndaquil woke up at this point and yawned again. A small jet of flame emerged from its back and remained, burning slowly. Cyndaquil looked at its back with wonder. Ethan picked it up and put it on his shoulder.

"Well, how about I take him with me, but don't use him in battles? Just expose him to the outside world for a while?" Ethan pleaded. Cyndaquil nuzzled up against Ethan's neck.

Elm groaned. "Do not use it in battles. It isn't ready." He said, digging out another Pokeball, tossing it at Ethan, who caught it.

"Use that one until Cyndaquil's flames are burning larger." Elm said. Ethan pressed the Pokeball's button and another Pokemon emerged. It was a Drowzee. It took one look at Ethan and turned its back to him.

"I'm really unprepared for new trainers…" Elm said, tossing the Hive Badge at Ethan. "That should get it to listen to you. I want that badge back though when you're done." Elm said.

Ethan smiled as Drowzee walked to his side and took a sentinel pose. This was it. However small it may have been, this was his first Pokemon adventure! Ethan walked out of the door, smiling.

Ethan's Pokemon:

Cyndaquil: Level 2

Drowzee: Level 10

Badges:

Hive Badge (Temporarily)

So tell me, what did you think? Sorry about the second chapter underneath the first, I thought I had deleted it. Other than that, please comment and criticize, tell me what needs to be fixed!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: First Battle

Ethan stood outside of Professor Elm's lab. Cyndaquil shivered in the cold breeze. Ethan inhaled deeply. Did the air taste different? Or was he just excited? Either way, he enjoyed it.

"Alright, let's put on some traveling music!" Ethan said, turning the radio on his Pokegear on. The sounds of Megadeth's "The Doctor is Calling" filled the air around him. Ethan shivered, he had been very lucky today.

"Ethan! Hey, Ethan! Wait for me!" A familiar voice said. Ethan turned around to see his friend Marina running towards him. Ethan smiled, he thought Marina had left on her own journey yesterday.

"Hey Marina. What's up, I thought you left?" Ethan asked. Marina removed a Pokeball from her waist and sent out the Pokemon inside. It was a Chikorita. She beamed proudly.

"I waited to go so I could show you this little beauty!" Marina laughed, placing the Chikorita on her long, blue hair. It nestled into her hair and fell asleep quickly.

"Where did you get it? Professor Elm had the Chikorita in his lab a few minutes ago." Ethan asked.

"Could you believe I found it in the woods behind my house? Apparently they exist in the wild." Marina shrugged. "Anyways, I see you have a Cyndaquil, mind telling me why Elm gave you it?"

Ethan began smiling. "I'm on a mission! He needs me to go investigate a discovery his friend found!" He announced proudly.

Marina laughed and held out her hand. "Do you mind taking me with you?" She offered. Ethan's face turned a shade of red. He reached his hand out and took hers.

"Yeah, t-that would be great." He said, stuttering slightly. They began walking out of the town as he turned his radio off. They began walking through the tall grass. The Drowzee at Ethan's side began looking from side to side quickly, as if something was about to jump them. Marina's Chikorita quickly awoke from its nap and looked up. A few steps in front of them stood a Rattata. Ethan grinned, this was going to be his first battle. He let go of Marina's hand.

"Alright Drowzee, use Pound!" Ethan commanded. Drowzee ran towards the Rattata and slammed its hand into it. The Rattata was knocked over, but it quickly stood back up and sunk its teeth into Drowzee's trunk. Drowzee howled in pain.

"Drowzee!" Ethan yelled. Cyndaquil woke up at this point and began prodding at Ethan's temple. Ethan understood.

"Cyndaquil, use Tackle!" Ethan commanded, as Cyndaquil hopped off his shoulder and rammed itself into the Rattata. The Rattata was launched from Drowzee's trunk and hit the ground, unconscious. Ethan rushed over to Drowzee. A small trickle of blood was flowing from its trunk.

"Marina, it's bleeding!" Ethan panicked. Marina sighed and pulled a Potion out of her pocket. She walked over to Drowzee and sprayed some of it on its trunk. It winced in pain, but the blood stopped flowing. Marina put the Potion away and faced Ethan.

"Pokemon will get hurt, Ethan. You can't panic every time it happens." Marina told him, walking through the grass. Ethan looked at Drowzee. Drowzee looked back at him, understanding his pain. It put its hand and Ethan's leg. Ethan nodded and followed Marina. He knew she was right.

Ethan's Pokemon:

Cyndaquil: Level 3

Drowzee: Level 10

Badges:

Hive Badge (temporarily)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Cherrygrove City

Ethan returned to Marina's side. Her Chikorita had already fallen asleep in her hair again. Cyndaquil had returned to Ethan's shoulder, panting from the battle it had just been in. Ethan laughed silently, it hadn't done much at all and it was already so tired.

"Ethan, look at that!" Marina whispered as she stopped Ethan from walking forward. Ethan grunted as the air was knocked out of him, but stopped as he saw what she was pointing at.

There was a small family of Sentrets lying in the middle of the grass with a Furret in the middle of them. Ethan guessed that it was their mother. Marina sighed happily. "They're so cute…"

The Sentret family suddenly looked up at the two of them and ran away, the Furret following closely behind. "You scared them off, Marina. Well done." Ethan joked. Marina punched him lightly on the arm before she started walking forward. Ethan started following her again. Before too long, they arrived at Cherrygrove City.

It was a quiet place. The roofs on all the houses were a nice cherry color, and a small lake was at the far end. Ethan had been here a few times before, but not much farther than this. Marina began walking towards to Pokemon Center. "We need to heal your Drowzee, that potion wasn't enough to fully heal it." Marina stated, grabbing Drowzee's hand and walking it towards to Pokemon Center. Ethan groaned and followed her, not knowing what else to do. He walked in and saw Marina sitting down on one of the chairs, reading a magazine. He walked over to her and sat down.

"Hey Marina, after we're done with the task Elm gave me, what are you going to do?" Ethan asked. Marina put the magazine down and took Chikorita off of her head and placed it into her lap.

"I think I'm going to just going to travel around. Not really stay anywhere for too long, just wander." Marina said, stroking Chikorita's leafy head. "What about you, Ethan?"

"I don't know. If Elm lets me keep Cyndaquil, I'm going to take on the Pokemon League Challenge. If he doesn't, I guess I'll just start a cover band." Ethan replied. Marina stifled a laugh.

"A cover band? Too unoriginal to make your own songs?" She laughed. Ethan's face turned red as he turned away. Marina laughed again and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. What songs do you want to cover?" Marina asked, only pretending to be interested. Ethan smiled, he knew she was joking with him.

"Megadeth, of course. No other album in the world can outclass Rust in Peace!" Ethan told her, pretending to perform to main solo from Megadeth's "Holy Wars… The Punishment Due." They both began laughing.

"Marina? Your Drowzee is fully healed!" Nurse Joy told her. Marina stood up and walked to the main desk, taking Drowzee's Pokeball. Ethan walked over to her.

"Well, Mr. Pokemon isn't too far away from here, let's get going." Marina said, handing Drowzee's Pokeball back to Ethan.

He placed the Pokeball on his belt. "Alright, let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, ComicfireSymphon here. This chapter marks the first time I've ever tried to put a little bit of romance, or at least as romantic as two fourteen year olds can be, in a story. I don't really know how it should be done, so I hope I did it correctly. Please tell me if there is something I can fix!

Chapter Four: The Journey Begins Here!

Marina and Ethan now stood on the outskirts of Cherrygrove City. Drowzee now stood tall again, healthy once more. Ethan gave its head a small rub. Drowzee enjoyed that.

"Alright, Drowzee's fully healed and Mr. Pokemon's house is about a five minute walk away. Let's finish this." Ethan thought to himself, walking forward onto the path. Marina walked next to him, their footsteps falling in unison.

Ethan stole a few quick glances at Marina. The confident look she had, the brisk pace at which she walked and the way she would constantly check to see if Chikorita was still okay atop her head. Ethan's heart started to beat a little faster. "Jeez, she's looking great…" Ethan thought as his face started to turn a light shade of red. Marina looked at him and he quickly turned away, beginning to walk a little faster. Marina smiled a bit. She walked back to his side and moved a little closer.

"What's wrong Ethan?" She asked, her arms lightly brushing his as they walked together. Ethan's heart skipped a beat. "Err, nothing, it's just a little warm out…" He responded, his words coming out in a rush.

"Oh really now?" She asked, her hand now enclosing his. Ethan's face now become completely red. "H-Hey, isn't t-that Mr. Pokemon's h-house?" He stuttered, pointing at the house a few meters in front of them. Marina let go of Ethan's hand at this point.

"Yeah, I think it is! Well, let's go check it out!" Marina said, walking ahead of Ethan and to the door. Ethan exhaled loudly at this point, trying to calm himself down. "What the hell just happened there?" He thought, walking to the house also.

Marina knocked on the door twice. The sounds of shuffling could be heard from inside and the sounds of footsteps was heard next. The door opened wide. There stood a man dressed in a fancy black dress shirt and pants. He also wore a small black hat. Ethan wasn't sure if he was trying to be fancy or hip. The man looked at Marina, then Ethan.

"I assume you are Ethan?" The man said to Ethan.

"Yeah, I'm Ethan. Are you Mr. Pokemon?" Ethan asked. The man smiled.

"That's what everybody calls me, yes. Now please, come in." Mr. Pokemon said, gesturing for Ethan and Marina to come in. Ethan looked at Marina for a second and walked into the house. Se followed suit.

The inside of the house wasn't like any other. Computers, generators and wires were everywhere. There was a small T.V. and an old-fashioned record player in the corner. The sounds of Megadeth's "The Conjuring" were emerging from the record player. Ethan smiled, it was always nice to know other people like Megadeth. Mr. Pokemon sat in a swivel chair next to a computer.

"Alright Ethan and… Ethan's friend. What you see here today must remain a secret, at least for now." Mr. Pokemon whispered, digging something out of a box next to the chair.

He pulled out what looked to be an egg.

"This egg here is believed to be a Pokemon egg. We didn't know how Pokemon bred before, so, as you can tell, this is a pretty major discovery. I want you two to take this egg to Elm so he can confirm if it's from a Pokemon or not." Mr. Pokemon told them, pushing the egg forward. Ethan reached for it before a voice rang out from the corner. "Wait just a moment." It said. A man emerged from the corner.

"My name is Professor Samuel Oak." Oak said, stepping out of the shadows. He was dressed in the same kind of lab coat Elm wore. His hair was spiky, short and white. A face recognizable by anyone with any knowledge of Pokemon science, Oak was a legend.

"Ethan. Elm's told me a bit about you. Like how, even though the Cyndaquil is only a baby, you wanted to take it out to see the world and grow stronger. I once knew another child like you. His name was Red." Oak told him. Ethan looked up at the mention of Red.

Red was another legend in the regions of Kanto and Johto. He single-handedly defeated the criminal organization known as Team Rocket and became the Pokemon League Champion three years ago. Since then, he went missing and had been unheard of since.

"Look Ethan, I see potential in you. Potential I haven't seen since Red. I want you to take on the same quest he did so long ago. I need you to fill out a Pokedex." Oak said, holding out a small piece of machinery, which Ethan took from him as offered.

"This Pokedex is completely devoid of data. I need you to obtain information about every Pokemon in Kanto and Johto, are you up to it?" Oak asked. Ethan began grinning widely. He woke up this morning expecting it to be just another day, and now he was truly a Pokemon trainer!

"Professor Oak, I accept!" Ethan announced. Oak smiled, Red had reacted the same way. "Take the egg and report back to Elm. Best of luck, Ethan." Oak said, returning to the corner he was standing in earlier. Ethan pocketed the Pokedex and grabbed the egg on the table. Marina held open the door for him and he walked out, saying goodbye to Oak and Mr. Pokemon. As soon as he stepped out of the door, his phone began to ring. He handed the egg to Marina and picked the phone up.

"Hello?" Ethan said.

"E-Ethan? Something t-terrible h-has happened! I-It's… oh no… oh d-dear… just hurry b-back to the lab!" Elm spluttered, hanging up quickly. Ethan began to worry, something wrong was happening.

"Marina, something's going wrong at Elm's lab! We need to hurry back!" Ethan told her frantically. Marina also had a look of panic in her eyes. "Alright, let's hurry back!" She said before…

"Wait just a moment." A smooth voice said. Ethan's ears prickled, this voice was familiar. He turned around to see the boy with the long red hair standing next to the trees. "It's you!" Ethan yelled. The boy laughed and flicked a long strand of hair out of his face.

"Exactly." He said with no humor in his voice, tossing a Pokeball at the ground. Out of it emerged a Totodile.

Ethan looked at the Totodile with a look of confusion. Elm had a Totodile too, didn't he? Maybe this is why Elm was panicking. "Where'd you get the Totodile?" Ethan asked accusingly.

The boy laughed again. "I'll tell you…" He started as he outstretched his arm and the Totodile jumped on to it, striking a battle pose. "If you can beat me that is!" He finished.

"Marina, get back into the house and protect the egg. I'll fight this guy." Ethan said. Marina nodded and rushed back into the house. Drowzee quickly took its place next to Ethan and returned to his sentinel pose. His first serious battle was about to occur.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, ComicfireSymphon here. I recently received my first review and he raised some very good points. So, this chapter marks the day I try to add more detail into the story! As always, I really appreciate reviews and such to tell me what needs to be fixed! And thanks a lot, Christopher Avrich!**

**Chapter 5: Play For Blood**

**The boy flipped a strand of long red hair out of his face. His outstretched arm was sheathed by a slightly torn, dark black jacket, which, in turn, had the Totodile on top of it. Ethan stared at the Totodile, noticing how different it seemed compared to any other Pokemon he had ever seen.**

**It was a normal Totodile for the most part. It stood at about one and a half feet tall and had light blue skin. A toothy smile emerged from its ridged snout. However, its eyes were different than a normal Totodile's. They normally had wide eyes with black irises in the middle of them. This one, however, had blood-red irises, and the whites of his eyes were tinged a dark brown. Ethan knew the boy in front of his had done something wrong to this Totodile.**

"**You mind telling me exactly what's wrong with your Totodile there?" Ethan yelled accusingly. The boy laughed cynically, rubbing the Totodile on its snout. Totodile closed it eyes and began growling happily.**

"**A Pokemon begins to take on the personality of its Trainer after a while. Our natures just fit perfectly it seems." The boy told him. The Totodile tensed its leg muscles and leapt from the boy's arm. It looked at Cyndaquil, and the toothy grin emerged again. It held one claw out to Cyndaquil and folded it in, telling it to come closer. Cyndaquil began to shiver, pressing its shoulder into Ethan's neck. Ethan softly rubbed its back, trying to calm it down. "It's alright, Cyndaquil. I'll keep you safe." Ethan whispered gently into Cyndaquil's ear. It began to stop shivering, but still pressed into Ethan's neck. Ethan removed its Pokeball from his belt and pressed the button. A soft red light emerged from it as Cyndaquil returned to his ball. Ethan placed the ball back onto his belt and adjusted his black and gold cap. Drowzee stepped forward, he knew a battle was drawing closer. Ethan directed his gaze at the boy once more.**

"**Tell me your name, and let's just finish this." Ethan growled. The boy held his arm out again, and Totodile jumped back onto it. **

"**My name?" The boy repeated, pressing his hand to his right ear. He closed his eyes and aimed his head downward. Ethan watched him as his mouth began to move slightly, like he was whispering to himself. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again and aimed them back at Ethan, allowing his hand to drop to his side.**

"**My name… is Locke. Now, tell me yours." Locke said slowly, like he was saying this for the first time. **

"**Ethan. My name is Ethan." Ethan told him. Locke returned his hand to ear and began whispering to himself again. This only lasted for three seconds. Locke's eyes became bloodshot as he opened them again, Totodile's eyes following suit not long after. Ethan took a small step backwards, this was too weird. Locke pointed his arm towards Ethan as Totodile jumped off of it again. **

"**Well then, Ethan. Shall we begin?" He asked, red hair obscuring his gaze once more. Totodile began growling threateningly. Ethan sighed, he had no experience at all at this. But he knew he had to do this. He adjusted his cap once more.**

"**Give me all you got, Locke! Drowzee, use Pound!" Ethan yelled, adrenaline coursing through his body. Drowzee's eyes snapped open as it ran at Totodile, hand raised high. Totodile stood completely still, snout quivering. Drowzee's hand came down hard as it impacted Totodile's chest. Totodile's eyes shot open as its breath was knocked away. Drowzee quickly returned to Ethan's side, running as fast as its stubby little legs could possible carry it.**

"**Hold your ground, Totodile." Locke commanded, not at all affected by the damage Totodile had suffered. Totodile nodded and crossed its arms, awaiting another attack. Ethan's emerald eyes shimmered, was it really going to be this easy?**

"**Keep it up, Drowzee! Use Pound again!" Ethan yelled, pumping his fist into the air. Drowzee nodded, rushing at Totodile again. Totodile stood completely still again now opening its arms to allow another hit in. Drowzee raised its hand and brought it down again, now firmly impacting Totodile's snout. Totodile was knocked onto the ground, now clutching its bleeding snout. Drowzee raised its arm once more, preparing the final strike. **

"**Now Totodile! Use Rage!" Locke bellowed. Totodile's blood-red eyes gleamed as it quickly returned to its feet. Drowzee knew what was coming next and tried to run, but was stopped short. Totodile's razor-sharp claws had increased in length due to Rage, and Totodile now launched a sickening slice at Drowzee. A pitiful squeal emerged from Drowzee as its back was clawed open by Totodile, blood flowing copiously from it. Locke's mouth curled into a twisted smile. **

"**Drowzee!" Ethan yelled, panicking once more. This wasn't supposed to happen!**

"**Blessed are the dead." Locke whispered as Totodile began to lap up Drowzee's blood. Ethan convulsed, his body wracking violently. Nobody should have to witness a sight this vile. **

**Ethan fell to the ground, still twitching. His body was now completely unable to move. He felt his Pokeballs being removed from his belt. All he saw before blacking out was a red light enveloping Drowzee.**

**His eyes opened several hours later. He was lying on a stiff bed in a place he didn't recognize. He tried to sit up to get a better view of his surroundings, but was stopped short by the straps binding him to the bed. Ethan understood, he was at a Pokemon Center. He stopped struggling, instead trying to think of a song to calm him down. He eventually settled for Megadeth's "Amerikhastan". He laid his head back down and sunk into another deep sleep.**

**He was awakened later by the sound of Marina's voice. His eyes fluttered open slowly as he sat up, the straps now gone. He looked in the direction where her voice was coming from. His eyes met hers, now sparkling with relief.**

"**Oh, Ethan… we were so worried about you…" She whispered, embracing him tightly. Ethan's heart starting pounding again as he returned her embrace. He felt her sobbing lightly, felt her tears slide down his neck. He held her tighter, slowly stroking her back.**

"**Marina… I'm alright now." He whispered. She quickly withdrew from him, her face flushed red. She laughed lightly and sat down next to him, trying to brush the tears from her eyes. The door behind them opened as Professor Elm walked through it, muttering to himself. He noticed Ethan and Marina sitting on the bed, and he walked over to them.**

"**Ethan, it's good to see you're alright." Elm said, adjusting his glasses, which had nearly fallen off of his face. Ethan smiled and tried to turn around to look at him. Elm shook his head and walked over to him.**

"**I don't want to bombard you so early, but you need to tell me what happened to you." Elm told him urgently. Ethan began to stare into space, recalling what had happened the day prior.**

**The stolen Totodile.**

**Locke's bloodshot eyes.**

**Locke.**

**The grievous wounds Drowzee had suffered.**

**The bloodlust in Totodile's eyes as it fed.**

**Ethan remembered, was Drowzee okay?**

"**Wait a minute, is Drowzee alright?" Ethan asked, concern showing in his emerald eyes. Elm closed his eyes as he gave a small smile.**

"**Drowzee will be okay, Marina saved it before it suffered an irreparable amount of blood loss." Elm told him. Ethan's anxiety melted away. Drowzee was okay, but it didn't change the fact he was responsible for nearly killing it. **

"**Listen Ethan, you need to tell me what happened. You went into a major state of shock from the sight of Drowzee's body at that point. What happened?" Elm asked him again. Ethan sighed.**

"**There was this boy with long red hair who called himself Locke. He had a Totodile with him…" Ethan reported. Elm drew a quick gasp when he heard about Totodile, but decided not to push it further at this point.**

"**Totodile's eyes looked exactly like Locke's, blood-red. We got into a Pokemon battle. He let Totodile get smacked around by Drowzee for a while before Totodile used Rage to inflict the wounds on Drowzee. And then… And then…" Ethan started before another panic attack started to well up from inside him. Marina quickly put her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. Elm adjusted his glasses again.**

"**So we were right all along. A Pokemon raised by an evil trainer will, in itself, become evil. Marina told me that the Totodile began… performing acts of vampirism upon Drowzee. Is that right?" Elm asked. Ethan shuddered, but nodded. Elm sighed again and quickly walked out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him. **

"**Marina, what happened after I blacked out?" Ethan asked. Marina shuffled around to get a better look at him. His emerald eyes still showed concern.**

"**I watched your whole battle through the window, and rushed out when you started shaking like you were. When you hit the ground, I called Drowzee back into its Pokeball. After I did that, the Totodile returned to Locke's side as he began to laugh. It was an evil laugh, one of cynical pleasure. He just walked off into the woods after that, still laughing. Oak and Mr. Pokemon rushed out to help you up and we carried you to Cherrygrove City. We were all worried…" Marina told him, tears beginning to form in her eyes again. Ethan looked into her aquamarine eyes as he brushed the tears away from them. He hated to see her cry. **

**She looked into his eyes at this point. Her own heart began to race. She felt so close to him now, like a moment like this wouldn't ever come again. "Ethan…" She whispered, slowly leaning in closer to him and closing her eyes. Ethan remained calm, surprisingly calm, considering what was happening. He began to lean towards her too before the door slammed open again and they quickly pulled away from each other. Professor Elm walked in behind a burly police officer.**

"**Ethan? This is Police Chief Falcon. He needs you to tell him about Locke." Elm said, gesturing for Marina to follow him. She quickly stood up and walked to him, exiting the room. As the door closed, Ethan sat up and turned his body to get a better look at Falcon. He was tall, muscle-bound and had an air of confidence around him. His police uniform bore a gold star on it.**

"**Good morning, Ethan. Now, tell me all you know about Locke." Falcon said, not wasting any time. Ethan sighed.**

"**He has long red hair, wears a dark black jacket and has a Totodile with oddly colored eyes. That's all I know about him." Ethan replied. Falcon jotted this down into a notepad he pulled from his pocket. "And you're sure this is all you know?" He asked again.**

"**Yeah."**

"**Alright. Get some sleep kid, you've got a long walk back home tomorrow." Falcon told him, walking out of the open door. **

**Ethan laid back down, thinking about all that had happened recently. He thought he was on top of the world before having his fantasy destroyed by Locke.**

**Locke.**

**Ethan began to shudder with rage. Locke wasn't just some misguided bully, he was truly evil. And Ethan wanted to stop him before he hurt something else valuable to him. He couldn't remain angry for long, he truly was tired. **

"**Tomorrow then… tomorrow I'll find him…" He thought, before drifting off into another deep sleep.**


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys, ComicfireSymphon here. Sorry this is so late, I've had a lot of schoolwork to do and I couldn't find the time or inspiration to finish this chapter quickly. I hope this was worth the wait!

Chapter 6: Consequences

The morning's first light began to filter through the room's window, brightening the room slowly. The light reflected off of a pair of emerald green eyes. Ethan was already wide awake, and he had waited for this moment all night. His body remained motionless on the stark white bed sheets, expectant. "Come on… Come on… Open the door…" He muttered quietly to himself. Today was the day.

Today he would find Locke and obtain the revenge he so dearly sought. For the damage dealt to Drowzee. For the brainwashing dealt to Totodile. To save every other Pokemon Locke may have come upon in his travels.

Ethan heard a small clicking noise from behind him. His heart began to race, someone was unlocking the door. One final click and the door creaked open. He heard footsteps coming closer to him. Instinctively, he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. The footsteps came to a stop beside him.

"Ethan, are you awake?" Professor Elm asked. Ethan opened his eyes and met Elm's gaze. Judging from the shadows underneath of his eyes, it looked like Elm didn't get much sleep either. "Yeah, I'm up." Ethan responded, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Elm placed his hand in his pocket and pulled out a Pokeball, which he held in front of Ethan's face.

"This is Cyndaquil's Pokeball. The task I gave to you was completed successfully, and as a reward, I'll let you keep the Cyndaquil." Elm said. Ethan stared at the Pokeball. This is what he wanted, right? To go on his Pokemon Journey and explore all he could? He tried moving his arm to take the Pokeball, but he couldn't muster up the will to do so.

Elm sighed as placed the Pokeball next to Ethan. "Listen Ethan, what happened to Drowzee was not your fault. Locke used an underhanded tactic to win, and unfortunately, many trainers do. Pokemon will get hurt, it's the very nature of battling. But you can't panic and just let your Pokemon be mauled like that. You have the ability to switch your Pokemon whenever you want, use it. I have faith in you. Professor Oak has faith in you. You have the potential to succeed. Tap in to it." Elm told him, turning away from him and walking out of the room.

Ethan sighed as he placed his legs back onto the bed. The Pokeball brushed up against his thigh. He closed his eyes and let his hand slowly drift towards to the Pokeball. His fingers felt the cold metal of it. He opened his hand and enclosed the Pokeball inside of it. He rubbed his thumb over the large button on the front of it. "It all starts here." He whispered, opening his palm and pressing the button. It opened quickly and silently, letting loose an eerie red light. The light began taking shape. It slowly morphed into the shape of a Cyndaquil. The light yellow of Cyndaquil's fur began to appear, as did the dark green of his back. The transformation completed as a bright light flashed for a second, and Cyndaquil appeared on Ethan's leg.

Ethan opened his eyes to see Cyndaquil smiling atop his leg. Ethan smiled too before he noticed something different. Cyndaquil appeared to be a bit larger than before. He placed the Pokeball on the sheets before reaching into his pocket. He quickly dug out his Pokedex, opening it. He pointed it towards Cyndaquil and pressed the "SCAN" button. Binary flashed across the screen for a few seconds before a picture of Cyndaquil appeared. His stats began showing also. He noticed in particular its level. "It leveled up…" Ethan thought.

Cyndaquil began walking on Ethan, climbing from his leg onto his chest before curling up into a ball and resting on his chest. Ethan smiled again, though it had leveled up slightly, it was still just a baby. His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of Megadeth's "Sudden Death" piercing the air, his Pokegear's phone was going off. He snaked his arm down to his belt, removing the phone and bringing up to his ear, pressing the "Receive Call" button.

"Hello?" Ethan said.

"Ethan? This is Mr. Pokemon. Listen, I heard about what happened with Locke. I want you to stop by my house again, I have something I want to give you." Mr. Pokemon told him. "Alright." Ethan responded.

"One second though, what song was playing while I called you?" Mr. Pokemon asked.

Ethan rolled his eyes and smiled. "It was Megadeth's new single, "Sudden Death". It's kind of like their older stuff." He told him.

"I see. I really should invest in a CD player of some sort. Alright then, see you later then." Mr. Pokemon said before hanging up. Ethan pressed the "End" button on his phone and closed it, placing back on his belt with the rest of his gear. He allowed his arm to drop back on the sheets before groaning. He could never catch a break, could he?

Wincing slightly, he swung his legs back over the side of the bed. Cyndaquil tried to keep its balance, but failed. It stumbled and fell off of Ethan's chest and landed upside down on the white sheets, squealing quietly. Ethan stifled a chuckle before reaching over to Cyndaquil and placing his hands on it's side to upright it. He carefully placed it on it's feet. It looked at him and began humming to itself. Ethan's mouth pulled up at the corners in a small smile, the Cyndaquil was happy. He had to be doing something right.

Ethan slowly sat up, his stomach muscles clenching. He sat upright, his vision slightly darkening as he felt the headrush he had expected. The black dots that clouded his vision slowly vanished, and soon he could see clearly again. He brushed his bare feet along the pale linoleum floors. He winced again as he stood up. His legs were nearly numb. He threw his arms into the air and tensed his body, trying to bring feeling back into his unwilling legs. The blood flowed back into his legs quickly and he could feel them once more.

He turned his gaze back to the bed behind him. Cyndaquil was staring back at him. Ethan's ears pricked as he heard a small sound. The door behind him had opened.

He remained completely still. The sound of quiet footsteps came from behind him. He sighed as he reached for the Pokeball next to Cyndaquil. He grasped it firmly, pressing the large button on it. The red light shot from it and into Cyndaquil, who turned into red light and returned to the ball. Ethan placed it onto his belt as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist.

"So what are you going to do?" Marina whispered from behind Ethan. Her breath slightly tickled the back of his neck, making him shudder slightly. He took a small breath.

"I'm going to find Locke and make him pay." Ethan answered quietly. Marina sighed and let go of Ethan, taking a step back. Ethan turned around to look at her. She had dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes. He felt his heart sink, she had been crying.

"Marina…" Ethan muttered softly.

"And how exactly are you going to do that? You couldn't stop him last time, why is this time going to be any different?" Marina stated accusingly. Ethan recoiled at this. Why was she being so hostile?

"Marina, why…" he started.

"Because you don't know what you're doing! You're just going to get you and your Pokemon hurt again! You can't just rush into everything without thinking!" She yelled at him, tears flying off of her face. Ethan shut his eyes quickly and turned back around, trying to hold back his own tears. What she was saying was true. All of it.

"I don't know… I just don't know, Marina." He whispered, a hard lump forming in his throat. He felt the familiar sting in his eyes as the tears began to roll out, slowly sliding down his cheek.

"Listen to me, Ethan. There is a Pokemon Training School in Violet City. The things you can learn there may help against your foes, even Locke." Marina told him, her voice cracking slightly. She turned around and began to walk out of the room. Ethan groaned. He turned around also and followed Marina out of the room.

The light of the main room of the Pokemon Center forced Ethan to squint his eyes, he wasn't used to the bright light yet. His eyes slowly adjusted as he began to look around the room. It was empty for the most part, only Nurse Joy was there in her normal area.

Nurse Joy came from a massive family of nurses, all with the same name and all looking exactly the same, pink hair that hung below her shoulders and a slender build. Each Nurse Joy owned a Pokemon Center in a city or town.

"Ethan? We aren't supposed to discharge you for another twelve hours." Nurse Joy said.

"Sorry, Joy. I need to go. Now." Ethan said, walking towards the door. Nurse Joy didn't attempt to stop him as he walked through the door.

Ethan looked around. He was back in Cherrygrove City. The sun was still hanging low in the sky and the clouds had a beautiful purple tint to them. For the first time today, Ethan felt peaceful again. His hand snaked down to his belt and grabbed Cyndaquil's Pokeball. He pressed the button and let Cyndaquil free. Cyndaquil quickly materialized next to Ethan's leg. Ethan reached down to pick Cyndaquil up and place him on his shoulder.

He nuzzled it's head gently. Cyndaquil hummed quietly, it enjoyed that. Ethan smiled and thought about what he had to do. "Alright… I need to stop by Mr. Pokemon's house to pick up whatever he wanted to give me, and then I'm off to Violet City." He thought. He adjusted his cap, his journey started here.


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys, ComicfireSymphon here. Nothing special to say here. Do italics show up when I publish the story onto the site? If not, this chapter won't have the same impact. Or maybe it will, I'm not a mind reader. And the end felt a bit rushed to me, but I couldn't think of any other way to write it. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 7: Atonement

The bright Johto sun shone low in the sky. All the stars in the sky had vanished and the clouds were still tinted a lovely shade of purple. Underneath the sky and sun laid the region of Johto, with all of its inhabitants either out and about or stirring from their slumber, ready to begin their day.

Ethan trudged slowly along the dirt road leading from Cherrygrove City. His head pounded every time one of his feet impacted the ground. He aimed his head so he could see straight ahead. Through his tired eyes, the dirt path seemed to stretch on endlessly.

"I'm going to pass out…" Ethan thought. He turned his head to the side to see a large tree close by. He felt his body become heavier, he needed to get under it. He dragged his unwilling legs forward. Step by agonizing step, he inched closer to the shade and shelter of the tree. As soon as his right foot touched the lush grass, his eyes shut and he hit the ground with a thud, out cold…

Locke sat in the highest branches of the same tree Ethan had passed out under. His long, blood-red hair hung behind him, embracing the girth of the branch, with one lock of it hanging in front of his eyes. His mouth was twisted into a grisly smile. It would take no effort at all to steal the Pokeball from Ethan's belt. He held out his arms and allowed himself to fall backwards off of the branch. His outstretched arms caught the branch underneath of him, and he began to quickly and silently climb down the branches. He felt the familiar buzz in his ear before he heard…

"What are you doing?"

Locke sighed quietly as he procured a stable foothold. He pressed his right hand to his right ear, pressing the button on his wireless transceiver, allowing him to talk to the person on the other side.

"Ethan could… no, will get in my way too often. If I take his Pokemon, he can't do anything but go home." Locke explained. A rush of harsh static made him wince in pain.

"You're already skating on thin ice with what you did to his Drowzee. You're a member of the Color Guard, Silver. Don't forget we're a force for good, not evil."

Locke groaned, he would never manage to persuade her.

"Alright then Green, what do you suppose I do about him then?" Locke asked.

"Let him be. Test him every now and then. But one more mishap and you will see the true ferocity of the Color Guard." Blue told him.

"Fine. I'm disconnecting." Locke said, removing his hand from the speaker.

"Keep using the name I've given you. No one needs to know that we're still active. Not yet at least. Disconnecting." Blue said before another rush of static tore through Locke's head. Locke groaned again, Green was a slave driver.

"But I owe her my life for saving me." Locke thought, continuing his decent down the tree. The pine needles combed through his hair, leaving bits of dirt and small twigs behind. After a few seconds of this, he dropped to the ground next to Ethan with a small thud.

He angled his head down to get a better look at Ethan. Locke felt something inside of him. Was it… guilt? Locke laughed dryly to himself, he wasn't going soft. Or was he? Green's words struck him… he had done something terrible. He reached down to Ethan's belt. His eyes shot open and his heart skipped a beat, there was only one Pokeball there.

"_What have I done…_" Locke thought.

"_I killed it._"

"_Drowzee is dead…_"

Locke fell backwards, the pain of guilt shooting through his body. He felt the stinging sensation of tears forming behind his eyes. The tears came out quickly afterwards. He scrambled to his feet and ran away from Ethan as fast as he could, the dirt underneath of him flying up as his foot stirred it up.

"_It's dead…"_

He felt his foot connect with a root.

"_I killed it…_"

His body began falling as he tripped on the root.

"_What have I done…_"

His body hit the ground hard.

"_Why…_"

His eyesight began to fade to black.

"_No…_"

The bright midday sunlight shone full force. Ethan squinted his closed eyes and squirmed slightly. He sat up quickly as his eyes snapped open. His pupils shrunk as the sunlight filtered into them.

"Oh man, how long was I out?" Ethan thought to himself, quickly standing up. He gave himself a quick checkup. His hands flew to his belt. Cyndaquil's Pokeball was still there. He smiled as he made sure his hat was still in place. It was.

"Perfect. Now I can get to Mr. Pokemon's house." Ethan thought, excited once more. He stepped out of the shade and onto the dirt path. The bright sunlight warmed his body. Ethan raised his arms high and stretched out his muscles. He felt a small movement on his hip. He looked down to see Cyndaquil's Pokeball shaking slightly, it wanted to enjoy the sunlight too. Ethan smiled broadly as he grabbed the Pokeball. Firmly grasping it, he raised it up and pressed the button, releasing the red light that would form Cyndaquil.

The red light took the shape of Cyndaquil. Within a few seconds, Cyndaquil was standing before him, happy as could be.

"That's a nice looking Cyndaquil you've got there." Someone said from behind him. Ethan jumped slightly in shock and turned around quickly to see someone standing a few feet away from him. He was roughly the same height as Ethan, but looked a few years older. His hair reached his shoulders and was pitch-black. He wore a dark blue T-shirt and scruffy blue jeans. In other words, just another human. Ethan relaxed a bit.

"Thanks." He outstretched his hand. "I'm Ethan."

The stranger came up to him and grasped his hand, giving a firm handshake. "My name is Broderick. Nice to meet you." Broderick said. Broderick gave the Cyndaquil another look. Cyndaquil looked back at him. It walked behind Ethan's leg and hid, exposing his face to look at Broderick some more. Broderick laughed.

"It's like a child!" He laughed. Ethan smiled too, his laughter was infectious. They both laughed for a few seconds. Broderick regained his composure.

"So, where are you headed?" He asked.

"I'm supposed to be heading to someone's house. He said he had something for me." Ethan told him.

"Would you mind terribly if I came with you? I've been looking for a traveling companion." Broderick asked. Ethan's eyes opened widely at this. He didn't even know this guy and he wanted to come with him? But he couldn't really complain, he seemed nice enough.

"Sure, that would be great!" Ethan said, happy to have another companion. Broderick smiled and reached down to his belt, grasping the Pokeball hanging from it. He held it skyward and pressed the button on the front of it, releasing red light into the air. Ethan stared at it as it began to materialize. Wings formed and a body soon after. Within moments, the Pokemon appeared, a Hoothoot.

"This is my Pokemon, a Hoothoot." Broderick explained as the Hoothoot landed on his head, standing only using one leg. It had a completely spherical body, with two legs and two wings. Its eyes were red with black pupils, normal for a Hoothoot. Its down was brown. Ethan's hand shot down to his pocket, and he removed the Pokedex from it. Opening it up and aiming it at Hoothoot, his pressed the SCAN button, revealing its secrets.

"Hoothoot, the Owl Pokemon. It stands on one leg as it perches in trees. Level 4." The electronic voice of the Pokedex recited before Ethan closed it again. Broderick stared at the Pokedex.

"Never seen anything like that before. Mind telling me what it is?" Broderick asked. Ethan held it out.

"It's a Pokedex. It's kind of like a high-tech encyclopedia, but I have to scan a Pokemon before I can get all the data about it. Professor Oak gave it to me to fill out. Helps with research, I guess." Ethan explained. Broderick nodded, understanding everything he was told.

"Very nice. But we've been standing around too long, shouldn't we be going to your friend's house to pick up… whatever he wanted to give you?" Broderick asked.

"Oh yeah!" Ethan exclaimed, turning around and walking down the dirt road quickly. Broderick laughed silently and tagged behind Ethan.

The dirt road gave way to lush grass before long, they were close to Mr. Pokemon's house. Ethan walked forward, before Broderick's and clasped around his wrist, holding him back.

"Hey, what giv-" Ethan started before Broderick's other hand clasped over his mouth. Ethan began struggling.

"Look right ahead." Broderick whispered into Ethan's ear. Ethan stopped squirming and looked ahead. His eyes shot open widely as he took in what he saw. Only a few meters ahead was a Pokemon, but none like Ethan had ever seen, or even heard of.

It stood on four legs. Each leg had a silver shackle around it. Its fur was a rich red and its mane stretched from it's neck all the way to its tail, billowing like a cloud. It had two spiky wing-like appendages on its back, and another spiky appendage hanging from above its mouth. It stared at them before it let loose a frightening roar that shook the trees beside them. Ethan and Broderick both dropped to ground, completely in awe of the beast that stood before them. It gave them one last look before running away at top speed, stripping the trees it barreled past of leaves and bark.

Ethan tried to stand up, but his legs couldn't summon the strength. Broderick quickly stood up and offered his hand to Ethan, helping him up. As they both stood, a dizzy spell tore through Ethan, nearly knocking him down again before Broderick caught him.

"What the hell was that?" Ethan asked without energy.

"I have no idea. It was a Pokemon, that much is clear. But it was nothing I've ever seen." Broderick whispered before realization struck. "Wait a minute, you could've scanned it!" He yelled at Ethan.

"You were restraining my hand! Doesn't matter anyways, it ran away too fast." Ethan yelled back. Broderick slammed his hand to his forehead.

"I'm sorry for yelling, man. Just… that Pokemon was like something out of a storybook! Imagine if we could catch that thing! We could be unstoppable!" Broderick said, becoming excited at the thought. Ethan stared back at him.

"Did you see how fast it ran? Our Pokemon would never be able to even touch it! How would we catch it?" Ethan responded. Broderick's smile melted away.

"Damn, you're right. Anyways… let's just get to your friend's place." Broderick said, offering his hand to Ethan once more. Ethan grabbed it and stood up with Broderick's help. Brushing the dirt off of him, he began walking through the grass, Broderick closely behind. Ethan looked around him, that Pokemon's roar sent the wild Pokemon into shock. Sentrets lay paralyzed with fear in the grass. Pidgeys dropped from their nest in the trees onto unconscious Rattatas. Ethan shook his head in amazement, that Pokemon was something else.

About a minute later, he stood in front of Mr. Pokemon's door. He raised his fist to it and knocked four times. He waited for Mr. Pokemon to open it. Broderick arrived next to him a few seconds afterwards. As Broderick took his place next to Ethan, Mr. Pokemon opened his door, looking just as shaken as the two of them.

"Did you two hear that roar earlier?" He asked them.

"We didn't just hear it, we were right next to the Pokemon that made it." Ethan told him.

Mr. Pokemon stared at him in disbelief. "What kind of Pokemon could make such a noise?"

Ethan shook his head. "It wasn't anything we had ever seen before." He said. Mr. Pokemon sighed. He then noticed Broderick.

"Oh, hello there. Who are you, may I ask?" Mr. Pokemon asked Broderick.

"Oh hey there, I'm Broderick. I met Ethan on the way here and became his traveling companion. Nice to meet you." Broderick told him, stretching his hand out. Mr. Pokemon grasped it and gave it a firm shake before letting go.

"Well, come in you two. I have something to give to Ethan." Mr. Pokemon said, walking inside. Ethan and Broderick gave each other a quick look before walking inside. The lights were out, and there was no music playing like last time. Mr. Pokemon walked over to a cabinet in the back and opened it quickly, removing something. He quickly closed the cabinet and shuffled over to Ethan and Broderick, holding something covered in what appeared to be a curtain.

"Listen to me." Mr. Pokemon said, removing the curtain to reveal the object. It was another Pokemon Egg, but this one was different. The pattern on the egg was a different one than the egg earlier.

"This egg was discovered in Mt. Silver, the mountain range dividing Kanto and Johto. We don't know what Pokemon made it, because we don't know what Pokemon live in Mt. Silver." Mr. Pokemon explained. Ethan looked at the egg. It had a yellow tint to it, with black markings scattered across it.

"Here's your mission, Ethan. Keep this egg and watch over it until it hatches. When it does hatch, give Professor Elm a call and report what Pokemon it was." Mr. Pokemon told Ethan, handing him the egg. Ethan held out his arms and took the egg. It was very light and smooth. But something worried Ethan.

"Where am I supposed to keep it?" He asked.

"You can keep it in your backpack. From what we've seen, Pokemon Eggs are extremely durable. Without significant trauma, it will not break." Mr. Pokemon told him. Broderick placed his hands around the egg.

"Allow me to carry it while we travel together. I want to prove my trustworthiness." Broderick said, excited to be holding the egg. Ethan gave Mr. Pokemon a questioning look. Mr. Pokemon shrugged.

"I see no reason why he shouldn't. But be very careful. That is the last egg we've been able to find. Do not lose track of it." He instructed Broderick. Broderick smiled and nodded.

"I'll do my best." He said.

"Alright then. Now Ethan, while Professor Oak may have said your quest is only to fill out the Pokedex, I have an idea that may prove more lucrative." Mr. Pokemon said. Ethan looked at him.

"The Kanto/Johto Pokemon League is opening its doors to challengers once more. If you can obtain all eight badges from Gyms in Johto, you're eligible to compete. If you do this, you'll be exposed to more Pokemon as you fight more trainers. It may prove beneficial to your quest and your Pokemon." Mr. Pokemon explained.

Ethan let the idea roll through his head for a while. It made sense, and he could see new areas and challenge stronger foes. Maybe even finding Locke and making him pay for what happened to Drowzee.

"Sounds great! How do I start?" Ethan asked.

Mr. Pokemon smiled. "The first thing you should do is go to Violet City, Northwest of here. You can apply at the Pokemon Center there, and fight the first Gym Leader." He told Ethan.

Ethan felt a dull burning sensation through his chest, one of pure excitement and anticipation. Every trainer dreamed of becoming a master, and he knew just how he could do it. And there were only a few Gym Leaders standing in his way. He grasped Cyndaquil's Pokeball and gave it a good squeeze. This was it. This was the path of life he wanted to take.


End file.
